Sonowal to take oath as CM on May 24

PM, Amit Shah, CMs of NDA ruled states expected to attend swearing-in ceremony

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, May 20: BJP leader Sarbanda Sonowal will on Tuesday take oath as Assam's new chief minister at a function to be attended also by Prime Minister rendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, besides CMs of some ten NDA-ruled states and central ministers.

The BJP has invited all the chief ministers of states ruled by the BJP and its allies as well as chief ministers of all the northeastern states to the event.

The function will be held at the Veteriry College ground at Khapara area here. Modi is expected to address the meeting.

BJP leader and the party's key strategist in Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, made the announcement after a meeting with most newly elected legislators at the party office here.

"On Sunday, we (all elected members of BJP) are going to elect Sonowal as the leader of BJP Legislature Party.

"On Monday, we are going to have a meeting with the elected members of our allies, Asom Ga Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF)," he added.

On Monday evening, MLAs of the alliance will meet the Governor and stake claim to form the government and on Tuesday, Sonowal will take the oath of office.

The BJP and its allies on Thursday dislodged the Congress, which had been in power in Assam for 15 long years.

The BJP won 60 of the 126 assembly seats. The AGP and BPF secured 14 and 12 seats respectively, taking their total strength to 86.

Meanwhile, hectic lobbying is underway within the three alliance partners for berths in the new council of ministers.

The AGP is likely to get three berths, while the BPF, which is demanding four seats, may get two to three berths.

Among the front-runners in the AGP for ministerial berths are party president Atul Bora, Kaliabor legislator Keshab Mahanta and seven-time MLA Phani Bhusan Choudhury.

In the race from BPF are Pramila Rani Brahma, Chandan Brahma and Rihon Daimary.

The BPF today held a meeting of the newly elected legislators at the Bodoland Guest House here where Pramila Rani Brahma was elected as the legislature party leader. Rabiram rzary was elected as the deputy leader, Chandan Brahma as chief whip and Moneswar Brahma as secretary.

The race for berths in the council of ministers has been intense within the BJP as well.

Sources said among the probables who might make it to the list are Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chandramohan Patwary, Siddhartha Bhattacharya or Atul Bora, Joiram Englang or BB Hagjer, the only MLA from the minority community in the party Aminul Haque Laskar, Parimal Suklabaidya or Dilip Paul, Ranjit Das or Padma Hazarika, Suman Haripriya or Angoorlata, Tapan Gogoi, Prashanta Phukan, Bolin Chetia, Pradan Baruah and Teros Gowala or Sanjay Kisan.

The mes of Hiten Goswami and Siddhartha Bhattacharya are also doing the rounds for the post of Speaker.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who held a meeting with the outgoing council of ministers, met Governor PB Acharya at Raj Bhavan this evening and tendered his resigtion.